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Let’s do this together! DIY transmedia documentary

Encouraging other creators to take back the media and to get a global audience directly involved by utilizing mostly free digital and social media, this case study will show some of the tools, strategies, pitfalls and successes in distributing the documentary “All’s Well and Fair” as a free interactive web series and a transmedia documentary experience.
If transmedia typically means an audience following a fictional storyline on different digital platforms, then a transmedia documentary should include the audience telling their own stories.
The topic-heavy film features three punk mothers in 1996 and again in 2006. The 2012 release split up the film by topic and created a platform for the audience to discuss the subjects in their own videos and comments.
In the same vein, this “solo” panel will encourage the audience to share their own ideas and experiences in the grassroots social media approach of creation and distribution. We are here to inspire each other.

Additional Supporting Materials

Questions

Why would you choose releasing a film for free online instead of approaching a more traditional route of pursuing television, DVD or theatrical distribution? There will be a focus on the concept of “not needing a gatekeeper” and the DIY spirit that can thrive in today’s digital culture more than ever.

Why turn this into a transmedia documentary instead of just releasing the film online? This is the core question in what makes this film’s release different. Filmed in 1996 as a stand-alone documentary, it then turned into a continuous documentary in 2006. In 2012 it grew into something larger than that. A project made by a global community.

What tools can you use to reach an audience and get them engaged? To answer this question, we will focus on various known social media platforms, newer tools like Google Hangouts, which can be used instead of the traditional post-screening Q&amp;A, building a team and the consistency of activity and audience engagement.

How do you finance such a distribution? Grant funding, crowd funding, revenue share, sponsorship and DVD sales will be discussed.

What can you do? This should be a lively discussion with the audience about what they can do to push story telling and story sharing further today and in whatever ways we imagine next.